The Birthday Present
by Snow White Griffin
Summary: Midori and Aoko had no idea on what to give to their father on his birthday, even on the day itself. They become increasingly anxious until they finally figured out what to give him. One-shot. Pairings included. Yes, there are OCs inside too .


**THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT**

"Hey, Midori ne-chan, do you have any ideas?"

"Nope, not even one, Aoko…" She sighs.

Both sisters had been facing the problem for a week but they still haven't bought a birthday present for their father yet. The worst part is that their father's birthday is… today.

They are desperate and couldn't calm down, hence by their jittering and walking in circles until they become dizzy. Once in a while, they knocked into each others' heads, causing them to press their forehead with both hands, moaning and rolling on the floor as their headaches become increasingly unbearable. Heh, what can you expect from a five-year-old and her ten-year-old sister?

When their headaches are reduced to a minor throbbing, Aoko suddenly has an idea. "Oh! How 'bout we ask Oka-san? Oto-san and Oka-san had been friends since they were young. Also, I think, they had married each other before you were borned!"

"Er… Aoko, it's 'born' not 'borned'," explained Midori, matter-of-factly. "And, of course they had to get married first BEFORE having me! Otherwise, I would be an illegimate child!!"

"Ne-chan, what's an 'ee-re-jim-ate chi-aild'?" Aoko asked, cocking her head like a curious duck.

Her sister sighed exasperatedly. "An illegimate child is like… um…" She pauses to think. After a while, she continued, "An illegimate child are babies with no real parents."

"Then how is a baby created with no real parents?!" Aoko blurted her eyes wide and her two ponytails flapped on her head while she bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Not sure… Either the 'normal' way, or through some extremely complicated black magic, or even created by aliens in order to conquer the world, I don't know!" Midori is twisting her hair into braids in confusion.

"Oh, the 'normal' way…" The five-year-old had been explained by the adults on how a baby is created but that STILL doesn't explain how the baby ended up in the mother's tummy. Based on her own opinion and observation, she assumed that a baby is created through kissing on the lips.

"Yeah, most probably the 'normal' way…" Midori agrees. "Now let's go and ask Oka-san!"

She grabs her sister by the arms and drags her into the kitchen where their mother is busy chopping vegetables for breakfast. Midori hurriedly give instructions to Aoko and pushes her into the kitchen.

"Oka-san, what do Oto-san like?" Aoko asks, glancing back anxiously at her sister. Midori quickly does some body gestures, asking her to go on before the little girl looks back at their mother.

Their mother stopped chopping to ponder for a while before turning at her young daughter. "Well, your Oto-san likes the outdoors, sports, sometimes video games and hot springs, eating many types of food, hip-hop and… fighting. Uh-huh, he used to fight a lot when we were younger," she smiles as she relives back her nostalgic memories.

"Oka-san," Aoko's eyes grows as round as ping-pong balls, "was Oto-san a gangster or a de-del-delin-" She struggles to pronounce the word.

Midori slapped her forehead silently from behind the door.

"No! Of course not!" Their mother is startled by that remark. "Even though he fought a lot, he only did it to protect others. He even saved me from many bad people who tried to harm me! Besides, it's pronounced 'delinquent', sweetie," she petted her daughter's head. "Now, hurry up, eat your breakfast and get ready for school."

"All right, Oka-san!"

Their mother stirred the hopped vegetables into the soup before serving it to both of her daughters. Both of the quickly swallow their food despite the soup scalding their tongue.

After finishing it, they kiss their mother on the cheek before running off. Just before they go, Midori asked, "Oka-san, I noticed Oto-san didn't eat his breakfast with us. Do you know where he is?"

"Your Oto-san already had his before you two got up. He had to leave the house early in the morning because of an urgent meeting in the office. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just curious."

* * *

"Oh, I see, you still haven't bought anything for your Oto-san today…" Said Hanako, patting her friend on the back.

"Yes, can you help me?" Midori replied, munching on her rice ball.

"Maybe Hanako and I here can help you," added Soichiro.

Hanako and Soichiro are twins one year older than Midori but the three of them are very close. Hanako looks almost exactly like her mother but she is a tomboy and behaves like her father while Soichiro is a bespectacled boy who is his father's look-alike but is as calm and collected as his mother.

It is lunch time. The three of them sat in a circle under a tree on their school's compound. As for Aoko, she is still in her kindergarten, discussing the same topic with her classmates.

"Hmm… How about ties? Ties are always perfect for men!" Hanako eagerly suggests.

"Nah, ties are boring and I don't think I can afford one…" Midori replies.

"A watch?"

"No, of course not! It's waaaaaaaaaay too expensive for me!"

"Earring?"

"My Oto-san's not rugged enough for that…"

"Necklace?"

"No matter how cool a necklace can look, I still think it's too girly."

"You're right about that… So, tattoos?"

Midori turns and stares at Hanako. "Do you really think that he'll have one?"

"No," Hanako comes up with more and more ideas, one by one rejected by her friend, until Soichiro, who was silently watching, spoke,

"How about you make him something? As most people say, the best presents usually come from the heart…"

"You know, that's actually a good idea! Thanks, Soichiro!" Midori is so happy that she begins to thank the boy repeatedly.

After her tenth 'thank you', Hanako annoyedly interrupts. "Okay, smarty! Do you even have suggestions on that?!"

"Yes," he assures her. "Yes, I do, it's this…" Soichiro tells both of the girls his idea.

"Hey, that is a good idea! I think I should definitely give that to him!" Midori is now smiling, her problems all gone.

"I've got to agree with her. I liked it too, bro! It's very cheap and creative," Hanako slapped her brother on the back playfully.

"Thanks!" He is grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire Cat.

"Okay, let's take this plan into action before my bro here begins to act all clingy and show-off!"

* * *

"Midori ne-chan! Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up! Oto-san is coming home at any minute!!" Aoko is really anxious.

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" Midori is struggling to wrap her father's present as fast as she can.

It is eight o'clock. The time where their father usually arrives home from work. For at least one hour and a half, they had been busy wrapping and adding finishing touches to their presents while their mother prepared a special dinner for tonight.

**Tok! Tok! Tok!** Their father is knoking on the door. "I'm back!" he says loudly before coming in and taking off his shoes.

"Oto-san!" Midori and Aoko run and hug their father, knocking him off his feet.

"Whoah! You two don't have to run and hug me like that. It makes me feel as if I'm an escaped chicken you're trying to catch!" He laughed, rubbing Midori's slightly spiky short green hair and Aoko's spikier short double-ponytailed blue hair.

"Welcome home and Happy Birthday, Ko-chan," their mother says, arms crossing and smiling.

"Hello and thank you, Ai-chan!" He turned to his daughters. "Can you release me now, please? I want to get up." Midori and Aoko let go of their father from their hugs. "Thank you," he rubs both off their heads, the girls giggling. He stands up to give his wife a small peck on the lips and cheek. The girls giggle even louder.

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Kosuke Ueki asks, breaking off.

"Steamboat. I know you liked it," Ai Ueki nee Mori replies, smiling wider.

"Really?! That's great! It's been a long time since we had some of those!" He hugs her and releases her after a while.

"Oto-san! Oto-san! Wait here for a while! We want to get you your presents!" Midori and Aoko say together. They run to fetch their presents.

Moments later, they return, Midori carrying a wrapped parcel while Aoko carries her picture that she drew in class.

"Here you go, Oto-san!" Aoko gave him her picture. On it, she had drawn a picture of their whole family walking in the park.

"Wow! Thank you, Aoko! This looks really nice," He then gives her a bear hug.

"What about me, Oto-san? Try opening my present, too!" Midori says to him.

"Oh, okay Midori. Be patient, please," he releases Aoko and Midori hands him her present. The present was wrapped beautifully in coloured paper, complete with a ribbon tied on it but strangely, the wrapping paper only covers the box and lid of the present. It doesn't simply cover the whole present like they do nowadays. Curious, Kosuke untied the ribbon and takes off the lid but found… nothing inside.

He was about to ask Midori about it but the girl suddenly gave him a huge constricting hug. "Oto-san, your present is a hug from me!" She says.

Confused, he says, "If my present is a hug from you, then what's this box for?"

She laughs. "Oto-san, I gave you that box as a distraction from my real gift! But… you can keep the box if you want it."

"Oh… Now I get it! Thanks, Midori!" He returns her hug and kisses her on the forehead. Ai and Aoko looks on smiling at their antics.

**Ding-Dong!** Somebody rang the bell.

"Oh! They're here!" Ai walks over to the door to let their guests in. Kosuke's sister and father came in first with Ai's parents, Rinko and Seiichiro Sano walk in with their kids, Hanako and Soichiro Sano while Hideyoshi, who was still single, walks in as well.

"Sano! Rinko! Hideyoshi! Long time no see!" Kosuke greets them. "Hi, Hanako, Soichiro! Nice to see you two again!" he says to the twins. He turns to all of his guests, "Come in! Come in! We're about to have dinner."

The guests accept his invitation and thank their hosts for it.

Just as Kosuke about to follow the guests into the dining room, Ai tugs him on his sleeve. "Ko-chan, I have something to tell you." She whispers.

"What is it?" He whispers back.

"I…" She stops and blushes. "I went to the doctor this morning and she told me that I'm… pregnant."

At first he was shocked by this piece of news but as he begins to realize it, he becomes more and more excited. "Really?! You are?! That's great!" He hugs her and kissed her before running off to spread the news to his guests as she walks off to join them.

Amidst all the noise and congratulatory praises aimed at their parents, Aoko says to Midori, "See! I knew it that kisses can make women pregnant!" They then run off to the dining room to join in the fun.


End file.
